Anyone Mountain Bike?

"Somethin' 'bout a truck" (somethin-bout-a-truck) 02/11/2016 at 11:15 • Filed to: bike, mountain biking, mountain, two wheels good, pedal power, off-road, trail riding, indiana, 27.5, 29er, 26er

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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I wanted to see how many of the Oppo crowd mountain bike. If so, where and what do you ride?

Me: I live and ride in Indiana so far. My bike is a Diamondback Axis 27.5. (I’m just starting out and I freaking love the 27.5 setup)

iSureWilll > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:18

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I used to ride about 8-9 years ago. Had a cheap Trek 820 from like 1999 with a RockShox Judy fork. Haven’t ridden in soooooo long.

davedave1111 > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:22

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I ought to get my bike out and fix it up - didn’t use it at all last summer because busy and have other bikes, and it needs a full going-over.

Oh, and I just realised it’s going to be 20 this year. Also a Diamondback.

Pic of same model, but not mine - mine needs a fair bit of work to look like that.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > davedave1111 02/11/2016 at 11:22

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That’s a nice bike! You should get it cleaned back up and head out!

Somethin' 'bout a truck > iSureWilll 02/11/2016 at 11:23

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That’s awesome! Get back out and ride again! Do you still have the bike?

davedave1111 > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:26

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Yeah, I really should. It doesn’t need much apart from a full service. But if I get started, I’ll end up fixing the tandem, the other MTB, the road hack, and so-on...

SteveLehto > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:27

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Yes, in Michigan, when it is not snow-covered. I have a full suspension Haro but it is a few years old. I refuse to get a new Mt Bike until the old one wears out (this is my third). And this one refuses to give up.

bob and john > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:31

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Used to race at a semi pro level in southern ontario. Rode a 09 trek fuel ex 8

TheRealBicycleBuck > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:33

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Used to. Then I moved to Louisiana. The nearest trails are too far away to make it worthwhile. My son and I ride together when we go camping, but it isn’t as often as I’d like.

Now I ride mostly road.

MonkeePuzzle > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:34

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I do! tons of great trails here in the Colorado rockies front range. I ride a stupidly small framed schwinn moab, thar she be hiding above my car. It’s more like a BMX with suspension and mt bike wheels :D

I used to be somewhat of an addict in my youth, until this little incident resulted in much metal in spine

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:35

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For longer smoother rides I ride a 2009 salsa mamasita. I ride mainly in the Flathead Valley in northwest Montana.

for the bumpier more technical trails I ride a 2012 trek rumblefish pro

http://www.flatheadfattires.com/

Stapleface > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:38

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I have a bike, but don’t get out nearly enough. I have a Redline Monocog 29er. GIS photo, but mine is nearly identical. I love the single speed, every bike I’ve ever had has been nothing but a mess with the gearsets. So glad to be over that.

Mattbob > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:38

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YES! I ride in michigan on a‘08 Gary Fisher Marlin Disk. I take pride that I have replaced over half of my bike, mostly because I have broken most things on it. Does a 27.5 feel that much different from a 26"? I have been thinking about upgrading to a Giant trance or something like it with 27.5" wheels when I can afford it. I’ve ridden Potato Creek in IN before. It was fun. How are the other trails down there?

Eberle-Hills-Cop > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:38

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I ride, mostly downhill these days on a Sinister Hooligan. Also have a Transition Covert 29er but I haven’t bene out on that much these past months. Considering selling it to buy some truck goodies.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > davedave1111 02/11/2016 at 11:39

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That sounds amazing!

Somethin' 'bout a truck > MonkeePuzzle 02/11/2016 at 11:41

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Oh man, that was bad. I can understand taking a break and or taking it easy. I love the Moab, and I love small bikes. I used to ride an undersized Specialized Hardrock Sport and I loved it. I also used to ride BMX so it felt more tossable on the trails than the newer bikes.

davedave1111 > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:41

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I wish. Sounds more like a shed full of practically-junk to me :p

Somethin' 'bout a truck > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 02/11/2016 at 11:41

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You have a great collection, and a great state to ride in!

Somethin' 'bout a truck > Stapleface 02/11/2016 at 11:42

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I love those bikes. I want to try single speed, I think Indiana would be great for it!

HammerheadFistpunch > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:42

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I do the ride thing.

Utah is my jam

Somethin' 'bout a truck > TheRealBicycleBuck 02/11/2016 at 11:43

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Road riding is something I want to start doing.. just need to find a good bike!

dogisbadob > MonkeePuzzle 02/11/2016 at 11:44

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In the picture, is that orange bike on the car’s roof rack or on the garage’s wall?

MonkeePuzzle > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:44

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a history in BMX was really why I chose the small moab.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:44

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Moved from the BC mountains to the AB prairie so don’t ride as much as I used to.

Riding a 2006 Kona Coiler now!

OPPOsaurus WRX > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:46

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I have a 29er of which I have mixed feelings (black and white specialized on the right... post ride burgers on the grill) Its great at taking bumps and r

ocketing down trails but it isnt as maneuverable in the corners.

this was after climbing a mountain in Maine, 3 hrs up, 30 mins down. it would have been a bit shorted ont he way down but we had to wait for a moose to get off the path

a makeshift playground

one of the trails at Blue Hills

and being dumb... i did make it

Somethin' 'bout a truck > Mattbob 02/11/2016 at 11:47

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That’s awesome! I want to try out Potato Creek! Where do you normally go in Michigan? I live in Fort Wayne, so I ride those trails most often. I’ve done some in Indy as well. This year want to try Brown County.

I’m 6'3 so the 27.5 felt more proportional to my size. I love 26" but I wanted a 29". When I tried the 29" they didn’t feel as nimble, but the 26" didn’t feel big enough? (probably in my mind) The 27.5 felt so good when I tried it I knew it was for me!

Somethin' 'bout a truck > SteveLehto 02/11/2016 at 11:48

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That’s amazing! You don’t hear enough people that keep a bike for very long. I think that’s awesome.

adamftw > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:48

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Airborne Goblin Evo 29er. Love it.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > bob and john 02/11/2016 at 11:49

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Wow, that’s great! I want to start doing small races, any beginner tips?

iSureWilll > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 11:50

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Not anymore. I haven’t even owned a bike in several years.

Have you ridden Town Run in Indy yet?

Mattbob > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:00

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I’m 6'2", so I’m in a similar boat. the frame seems too big for the wheels. I need to go for some test rides before I buy one for sure. I am on the east side of Michigan, so I normally ride Maybury, Lakeshore park, or Island Lake if you are familiar with easterm ichigan bike trails. Occasionally I will get out to some bigger trails like Potowatami at the Pinkney rec area, or torn shirt at the Brighton rec area.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > iSureWilll 02/11/2016 at 12:00

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Not yet, when I could this past summer it was closed because of all the rain. I hear it’s pretty cool though. Have you?

TheRealBicycleBuck > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:00

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Unsolicited advice: if you don’t plan to race, don’t spend a fortune on a road bike and avoid racing bikes. Racing bikes are set up with skinny tires (23mm) and tight frame clearances. Skinny tires can be inflated to higher pressures to get less rolling resistance, have less rolling weight, and better aerodynamics. All of this comes at the expense of comfort and most riders don’t compete at a level where the benefits matter.

I ride a cyclocross frame with fat tires (38mm) and lots of clearance. Look at the pic above and you will see that I have fenders mounted with the fatties. I love getting into a group of roadies when we hit a rough section of road. While they are complaining, I just cruise on through with a smile on my face.

Mattbob > SteveLehto 02/11/2016 at 12:02

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I’m in a similar spot with my bike, but at what point do you say a bike is done for? Its sort of like the Ship of Theseus at this point.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > OPPOsaurus WRX 02/11/2016 at 12:03

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That looks like a great trip! Before I bought my bike I had my heart set on getting a 29er but when I started riding it I hated how it wasn’t as maneuverable. Since I’m just starting out that seemed like something I could not sacrifice.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > HammerheadFistpunch 02/11/2016 at 12:04

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Man, I would love to ride in Utah. You sir are luck!

Somethin' 'bout a truck > TheRealBicycleBuck 02/11/2016 at 12:07

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I appreciate it! I do like that setup. I don’t plan on racing on the road, I just want to ride to work and ride to stay in shape for the trail rides. What model is the cyclocross bike?

OPPOsaurus WRX > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:09

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yea i think the 27.5 is probably better. I do notice a differnce int he terrain I can handle over my friends 26"

I’ve also gone to a downhill bike park and rented a mountain bike which I could only compare to a McLaren P1. I think the price on the bike was $8k. I did things on that bike I could never dream of doing on my own.

bob and john > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:10

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Pacing yourself is huge. Be in the gear you want BEFORE the climb. Stay loose over rough stuff. Do a light warm up and try and stick with the leaders. It gets tight tring to pass in single track.

And if someone calls a pass, LET THEM PASS FFS

iSureWilll > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:13

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I rode it a lot back when they started the wooden “trails”. Can’t think of the name. Supposed to be like the wooden trails in Canada. I don’t know if they ever completed it though.

Town Run is a 7 mile loop that’s mostly flat. A couple small “hills”. Pretty much all single track. Sometimes you'll find people walking the trail too so watch out. It's totally free including parking. Not much signage locating it though. The entrance is a small gravel drive that drops from the road quickly so it's hard to spot. On the south side of 96th st just east of the bridge east of Allisonville Rd.

bob and john > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:13

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Hehe. My first ‘real’ bike was a hardrock.

Within a year i snapped the frame, seized a wheel and broke the spring in the fork.in 3 places.

Yes, i rode the ever loving PISS out of that thing. Traded it for a fixie

MonkeePuzzle > dogisbadob 02/11/2016 at 12:14

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suspended from the ceiling, but against the wall

Somethin' 'bout a truck > OPPOsaurus WRX 02/11/2016 at 12:22

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That would be amazing to try out. I will never part with that much money for a bike, but I would love to rent one for the day! Where did you go?

Somethin' 'bout a truck > iSureWilll 02/11/2016 at 12:25

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Awesome. I hope to be able to ride it this summer. Pray for less rain..

OPPOsaurus WRX > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:28

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Highland Mountain in NewHampshire. It was like $100 or so for the day for the lift pass and the bike rental

BeaterGT > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:30

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Hell yea! I have a Ghost Kato 5 (27.5 120mm hardtail) and it rocks. I ride all around NJ but have flown to CO and OR to get some actual mountain biking done.

^ Riding Sandy Ridge, OR on a Trek Fuel Ex 3

RallyWrench > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:30

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I was going to make this same post yesterday. I ride and build trail in coastal California, SLO County. Here’s my main rig, an Ibis Mojo built up from bro-deal parts and car labor trades:

Most of the time I ride Montana de Oro state park, which is all-time good right now after the rain, we had a huge workday out there last Sunday. I also have a Kona Stinky Six that I now use for DH stuff and park riding in the summer, but was my only bike for awhile.

And one of our projects outside San Luis Obispo, on a plot of land the City has allowed us to build on. Right now we’ve got two progressive trails through a Eucalyptus grove, and are working on some wooden balance features at the moment.

And the new Morro Bay Bike Park, which is super cool. The glare is hiding Morro Rock and the stacks from the power plant.

I’m not one to jump on the latest-greatest bandwagon, but my buddies are all trading up to 27.5s, and I have to admit they make amazing all ‘rounders here so I’ll probably be looking into that in a couple of years. The guys I usually ride with are all faster than me, and they all got faster with the 27.5s.

osucycler > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:31

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Mukluk in Oklahoma, sadly no snow this year, yet.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > osucycler 02/11/2016 at 12:33

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I want a fat bike & snow so bad.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > RallyWrench 02/11/2016 at 12:35

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I love the pics. You have an awesome setup! I would love to ride any of those spots.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:38

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It’s a Redline Conquest, but that model has been discontinued. Similar bikes would be the Salsa Vaya or Marrakesh , or maybe a Surly Cross-check . You might also look at touring bikes likes the Surly Long-haul trucker.

I bought a frame that supports disc brakes with the intention of upgrading at some point, but my money has been funneled to other projects instead. If I were in the market today, I’d look at a touring bike with discs. Touring bikes have more mounting points brazed onto the frame, making it easier to mount fenders and racks.

If I won the lottery, I’d have a custom touring bike built with a lugged steel frame, disc brakes, and S&S couplers so it could be broken down for travel.

RallyWrench > TheRealBicycleBuck 02/11/2016 at 12:38

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This. I’m no racer, but I commute on a ‘cross frame and it’s great. On road rides with friends, I can make time and put power down on rough stuff when they’re struggling. It’s a great all around rig if you’re only going to have one road bike.

JustAnotherG6 > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:41

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Live and Ride in MN on a mid ‘90's Cannondale M800 Beast of the East. Hardtail, no suspension whatsoever. I’ve had it since ‘96 when I bought it off my brother. There are a lot of (paved) bike trails in the Metro here, Nowhere near enough trails that could be considered Mountain Biking or even single track nor are they convenient enough for me to regularly ride them.

RallyWrench > Stapleface 02/11/2016 at 12:46

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These things seem like so much fun, and a great way to become a climbing beast by necessity.

Manny05x > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:52

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I ride a Marin hardtail 26. I did not get to ride as much as I wanted last year but this year I'm looking forward to riding more.

RallyWrench > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 12:52

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Thanks! I’m one of those guys who drives cheap shitboxes so I can spend more money on bike parts. Should you ever find your way out to central CA, I’d love to show you around.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > RallyWrench 02/11/2016 at 12:56

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I will be sure to ask if I can make it out that way!

PowderHound > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 13:07

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I ride a Santa Cruz bantam in park city. This is when it was new and shiny

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 13:19

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Sure do!

I kid, I kid. Here is my quiver:

I used to ride 3-4 times weekly (weakly?) in Massachusetts when I lived up there on a built up Giant Iguana SE that I was given for my 16th birthday. By the time I was done the only thing stock was the crankset. That bike is now with my brother in law and I bought a leftover K2 Zed 4.0 for a song. I prefer hardtails even with the rockiness of NJ.

As kids came into the picture, or better yet, as the wife and prospect of pictures with the kids came into the picture, I moved toward road biking as the bruises were hard to explain at work, too.

I was a distance swimmer in HS and some of college, so I worked on running and now do a few triathlons a year. Here is my bike at the NYC Tri last July.

I have a 1993 Specialized Rockhopper that I put semi-slicks and a rack on so I can run errands, or go out in the snow and not worry about damaging anything worthwhile.

If you’re getting into road biking, find a Trek/specialized/giant aluminum bike with 105 on it, used on craigslist, ride it for a bit to see what you like and don’t like, then use that information to bite the bullet on a bike that fits how you like to ride. You’ll be a lot happier making that informed decision. If you go on to sell the used bike, you’ll lose ~$50-100 in parts and depreciation, totally worth it. Or just hold on to it and make it an “I don’t care” bike. That’s what my 93 Rockhopper is. I’d miss it, but only until I replaced it. Cost me $70 to buy and $70 to fix. Old MTBs are better that way though. A decent road bike is going to be $350-600 depending on quality and condition.

Eberle-Hills-Cop > OPPOsaurus WRX 02/11/2016 at 13:23

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My second home

Eberle-Hills-Cop > OPPOsaurus WRX 02/11/2016 at 13:25

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that “makeshift playground” is Wompatuck, right? I broke my finger on those like 4 years ago.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Eberle-Hills-Cop 02/11/2016 at 14:17

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HOLY SHIT it is!! maybe I asked this before but where are you from?

Eberle-Hills-Cop > OPPOsaurus WRX 02/11/2016 at 14:31

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Thought so. Those things are a death trap. I live on the southern NH border, but used to live in Quincy.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Eberle-Hills-Cop 02/11/2016 at 14:35

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o ok. I live in Hanover, grew up in Weymouth. I had a good friend who grew up on the corner Center St and Albertina.

SteveLehto > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 14:36

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Just found this and felt the need to share. Pontiac Lake, Michigan.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 14:37

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I ride a 2006 Giant Trance that looks pretty much like this GIS result. I did get the rear derailleur and shifters swapped from the Shimano stock items to SRAM X.0. That and I ditched the tube tires that came with to run tubeless. After blowing out a tire casing last summer I’m now running my third set of tires but switched from a tubeless to running Stan’s.

I kind of got out of biking for a few years since there weren’t a lot of people riding, I lived away from any decent trails and the Finnlet showed up. Last summer some buddies of mine started riding so I got back into it and started riding once or twice a week either with them or my wife. My riding is done in the Midwest with a few weekend camping/riding trips to Copper Harbor on their IMBA Silver rated trail system .

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > PotbellyJoe and 42 others 02/11/2016 at 14:38

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What kind of rack system is that you have for hanging the bikes and do you like it? I’ve got some generic rack with different hooks for hanging tools and it’s a pain because the hooks fall off the rack super easy so you need to hold on to the hooks while taking things off or putting them on.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 02/11/2016 at 14:53

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Rubbermaid Fast track, I think is the name. It’s Rubbermaid, I know that. I got the 84" track and put a plate of metal behind the plywood and mounted that into studs so that I could support the weight. Then every time i add a bike (2 more than in that picture) I buy another hook for the track at about $10. The track was cheaper on Amazon, but the attachments were cheaper at Lowes, go figure. Check both spots.

I love the thing. I have attachments in the winter for shovels and such as I’ll reorganize my shed. I have two tracks, a shorter one on one side of the shed and the longer one on the other.

Edit, Found it:

Rubbermaid FastTrack

Vertical Bike Hook

Somethin' 'bout a truck > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 02/11/2016 at 15:06

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That looks like a great place to visit! Love the bike!

DasWauto > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 15:09

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I ride an ‘09 Speciaized P.1 All Mountain and have hit up most of the trail systems in Southern Ontario. Hydrocut near Waterloo is a favourite.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 15:18

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It’s been a great bike. I kind of got the itch to get a new one last summer since I started riding more again. It is just tough to justify a new bike, since it would be pretty costly to get anything near as good as this one still is.

They are awesome trails, and definitely worth a visit if you’re anywhere close.

http://copperharbortrails.org/

osucycler > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 15:18

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The fat bike is the go anywhere adventure machine that your first bicycle was when you were a kid. I have toured on mine fully loaded (slowly), done many, many gravel grinding miles, and it is my go to mountain bike bomber. If you have the chance try one out, they are next level fun!

Somethin' 'bout a truck > osucycler 02/11/2016 at 15:22

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That’s what I love about them. The chance to go anywhere is so great. I hope to get some time on one this summer at a demo day. What model do you ride?

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > PotbellyJoe and 42 others 02/11/2016 at 15:28

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Thanks! That looks like a lot better set up than what I’ve got now. To Amazon I go.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > Mattbob 02/11/2016 at 16:41

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I haven’t been to east side of the state much. I’ve spent a lot of time in Grand Rapids but I’ve never ridden in Michigan.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > BeaterGT 02/11/2016 at 16:43

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I love those bikes. Those colors are fantastic!

Mattbob > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 16:59

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I really want to go on the Merrell trail north of GR. Its supposed to be the best flow trail in the state.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > Mattbob 02/11/2016 at 20:17

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Flow trails can make for an awesome ride. I’ll check it out if I’m up in the summer!

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/11/2016 at 20:26

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I’m not into names of the bikes, but I have a Gary Fisher bike that was handed down to me by my mother. It’s blue. That’s about all I know.

As for where I ride, I mostly do it at Oak Mountain State Park in Birmingham, AL. It really is a great park to ride at, plus the scenery is amazing.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/11/2016 at 22:41

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Wow, that is beautiful! Looks like a great place to ride!

osucycler > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/12/2016 at 15:33

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A Salsa Muluk Ti. Did I need the Ti model hell no. Did it take a year to pay off, (thanks Trek card no interest) yes. Do I absolutely love it, yeah. Ride safe everyone.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Somethin' 'bout a truck 02/19/2016 at 09:29

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I have an old Raleigh hardtail that I’ve replaced just about every component on with a schizophrenic mashup of everything from a generic no-name saddle to an XT derailleur. It’s one of the last made-in-USA frames and I can’t bring myself to get rid of it. Ride in parks around San Antonio. Unfortunately I’ve only been getting out once a month or so.

I also have an early-90's aluminum Trek with a single-speed conversion kit and a rigid front fork that I keep at work. We have a 7-mile or so mixed paved/gravel/dirt track around our campus that we ride at lunch a few times a week.

Somethin' 'bout a truck > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 02/19/2016 at 23:22

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Wow, I would love to have a lunch time ride a few times a week. I seriously love that Raleigh, great looking bike.

Honestly I only get out about once a month. Hopefully we both get out more this season!